Marvel Phase 3

Here's Everything We Know About The Upcoming Marvel Films

This week’s Captain America: Civil Waris not only the best Marvel movie thus far, but also the first part of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That doesn’t mean a great deal, really, other than it will kick off a story that will carry on for a whole lot of films to come between now and 2020. Black Panther, a Norse apocalypse, the return of Hulk, yet another Spider-Man; here’s everything we currently know about the future of Marvel movies.

Doctor Strange (2016)

It’s probably fair to say Doctor Strange is second, possibly even third tier Marvel, in that he’s a character who is utterly meaningless to people who don’t read comic books. That might be an issue but for one thing: he’s being played by Benedict Cumberbatch – and everyone likes him. Cumberbatch is Stephen Strange (kind of on-the-nose naming, there, Marvel), a neurosurgeon who is injured in a car accident, whose journey to heal himself results in acquiring magical powers. Scott Derickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister) is directing, so it would be reasonable to expect a creepy, weird tone, as far as Marvel’s formula allows. The excellent cast also includes Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Twitter/jamesgunn

The gang’s all back, not just the cast but also director James Gunn. The plot will apparently see Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) meeting his long-lost father, to be played by Kurt Russell in a rather splendid bit of casting. Unusually for a comic book movie, Gunn has said this will actually focus on fewer characters, so we get to know more about the central five and aren’t distracted by the thrill of the new. What’s in store for most of the Guardians we don’t know, but the first released image shows Groot as now just a shrub. Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, TV’sThe Night Manager) has an unspecified role and Nathan Fillion is strongly rumoured to be playing… stop reading if you don’t want even a potential spoiler… seriously… Wonder Man.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Disney

It is generally agreed by most who’ve seen it that Spider-Man is one of the highlights of Captain America: Civil War. Both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield gave winning takes on Peter Parker – albeit in films of varying quality – but Tom Holland’s performance here stands out for giving Parker a youthful naïve cockiness that two men nudging 30 couldn’t (Holland is 19). Homecoming will be the first time Marvel has steered a Spider-Man film after reaching a deal with Sony, who still owns the rights. Fans could not be more delighted. Firstly, this won’t be another origin story, thank goodness. The director is Jon Watts, whose only projects so far are Clown and Cop Car, so it’s fair to call him a relative unknown. Marisa Tomei will take the role of Aunt May, who gets more youthful and glamorous with each reboot, and singer Zendaya will play a role so far merely described as Michelle, who is not a love interest. Robert Downey Jr will reprise his Iron Man role for the film, but we’ll say no more about that until you’ve seen Captain America.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Paramount

Ragnorok, as you well know, is a term for the apocalypse in Norse mythology, so things won’t be going well (Raganarok is also the name of a Thor clone in the comics but The Internet suggests that is not significant here). Taika Waititi is directing this one, which is somewhat surprising if it’s going for a serious end-of-the-world tone, because Waititi makes mostly excellent comedies like What We Do In The Shadows. Perhaps he was chosen for his ability to give oddball, fantastical characters humanity. Whatever, he’s terrific. Hulk will join the action, Tessa Thompson (Creed) will play a new love interest with Natalie Portman out of the series, and Cate Blanchett is all but confirmed to be playing Hela, the goddess of death. Cate Blanchett as death. Sign us up immediately.

Black Panther (2018)

Disney

That this will be directed by Ryan Coogler is fantastic news. Coogler, who might well be a directing genius, took a very unpromising story for Creed, the sort-of Rocky sequel, and made it one of the best films of the year – and the best Rocky since the original. He’ll need all his skills because the origin story for Black Panther isn’t the best: He’s a member of the royal family of Wakanda who dresses up as a cat to fight injustice. It’s not what you’d call relatable. That said, he’s satisfyingly introduced in Captain America: Civil War and powerfully played by Chadwick Boseman. Civil War also gives an indication of how the plot of the film may begin, but we won’t reveal what that might be. Apparently, according to Marvel boss Kevin Feige, Black Panther will be very important in setting up Avengers: Infinity War.

Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 (2018) and Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 (2019)

Disney

Both parts of the third Avengers adventure will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, whose work on Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War is among the most creative of any of the Marvel films. Those infinity stones that have popped up throughout the Marvel films will obviously be vital here, and since Josh Brolin is signed on to play Thanos he’ll be the main villain. As for which Avengers will make up the team it’s still up for grabs – will they all even still be alive by time we get to this story? Based on hints from Kevin Feige, it could be virtually everyone from the Marvel universe thus far. Robert Downey Jr is signed on and Jeremy Renner has claimed he’ll reprise Hawkeye, who is getting very bad at retiring. Tom Hiddleston is apparently in as Loki, as is Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Chris Evans as Captain America and Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Might we even see some of the characters from the TV shows, like Jessica Jones and Daredevil? At this point, it’s all possible. Producer Jeremy Latcham has said it will bring an end to “the team that we’ve come to know as The Avengers”. So reckon on a main cast body count.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Disney

The weird cousin of the Marvel universe, Ant-Man is actually very well used in Civil War, which might up enthusiasm for this sequel. Ant-Man and the Wasp will focus on both Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp, who was teased in the final seconds of the movie. No further details are currently out there but original director Peyton Reed is back on board.

Captain Marvel (2019)

Marvel

Marvel’s first woman-centric movie – although a Black Widow film remains a possibility and surely a no-brainer? – will focus on Carol Danvers, a pilot who is caught in an explosion of alien gubbins and has her genes fused with those of the horrible extra-terrestrials the Kree, which is a shame. But this does give her the ability to fly, lift heavy stuff and shoot energy. Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) are scripting. It’s too early for any more details but fans are already noisily rooting for Emily Blunt to be cast.

And beyond…

Marvel

Who on earth knows what’s to come in Phase Four? But this is The Internet, so let’s just have a blooming guess. Kevin Feige has already said a third Guardians of the Galaxy is very likely, which will surprise nobody.

Hulk is still yet to get his own movie (there are legal knots to resolve with Paramount to make that happen), but if he does then the World War Hulk story would seem a good one to mine, concerning Hulk being sent into space and coming back very cross after the death of his wife.

If Marvel managed to secure a deal with Sony to use Spider-Man, after the studio buggered up the movies for years, then it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that a deal could be reached with Fox to give Marvel control of Fantastic Four. One of most popular comic series in history, the Fantastic Four has been subjected to three dreadful movies. Fox really has little to lose by doing a deal.

The Inhumans was on Marvel’s announced list for a while but it’s been indefinitely shelved. The story of humans given superpowers by alien DNA already has a script, and once the very busy phase three is done it may well be dusted off.